I’m very conscious about the food my family eats and the products we use in the house. I make as much food from scratch as possible, I rarely make meals from boxes, and I discovered that baby wipes can pretty much clean anything that doesn’t need to be disinfected. That’s why I was pleased with the opportunity to sample a line of non-toxic makeup called Ava Anderson for my daughter’s recent ballet recital. And you know the cool thing about this company? It was started by a teenager!

The idea for Ava Anderson started when the founder and company namesake Ava, now 19, was 14 years old and first learned of the potential harmful affects of her personal care products. She discovered that products labeled “organic” or “all-natural” still contained toxins, and while she had done the research, the average health conscious consumer didn’t know the truth behind their seemingly safe choices. With a little tenacity and the help of a manufacturer, Ava launched her own line of truly non-toxic products in 2009.

The Ava Anderson line of products includes: skin care, body, hair, face, sun care, baby, home, scent, candles, and pet. The “Tiny Dancer” package, designed by rep Christine, was put together as an “entry way for young ladies to learn about their health, and the disease implications the conventional products on the shelves carry.” My daughter loved her own personal package of makeup, but it served as a “starter-kit” for me to tell her about safe products for your body.

In her kit was a foundation and blush, mascara, lipstick, lip balm, and hand sanitizer. There’s nothing noticeably different between non-toxic makeup and store-bought other than the feel-good factor knowing that you’re not exposing your children to potential dangers. The foundation and blush provided light-weight coverage, the lipstick was creamy and smooth, and the mascara had a clean finish without getting clumpy or flaky. Most importantly, the makeup did its job for my daughter’s recital. You can read more about each product on the site or in brochures from a rep.

When I first looked into sampling the Ava Anderson products, it was the non-toxic element that mostly interested me. But the fact that the founder and CEO is also a kid is a great story for other young girls to hear. Age should never be a deterrent to following through on an idea or dream.

Which Ava products would you start with?